Hand trucks



y 1957 c. E. WEINMANN 2,797,832

HAND TRUCKS Filed March 1, 1955 I as 27 lo n s. 26 2e 25 I FIG 2 FIG-I I 1 INVENTOR CARL E, WEINMANN Mo ML/ ATTORNEYS 2,797,832 Patented July 2, 1957 HAND TRUCKS Carl E. Weinmann, Lake City, Minn, assignor to Albert T. ONeil and Gunnar H. Danielson, Lake City, Mimn, tenants in common Application March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,288

8 Claims. (Cl. 214383) The herein disclosed invention relates to hand trucks and particularly to hand trucks for use in handling barrels and has for an object to provide a truck by means of which the barrel may be picked up and released with a minimum amount of effort.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a truck by means of which a barrel standing against a wall may be picked up without first moving the barrel away from the wall and which may be likewise replaced.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a truck having a frame with rests at the lower end thereof for engagement with the lower rim of a barrel and a movable engaging member for engagement with the upper rim of the barrel and in providing means for automatically bringing the engaging member into engagement with the rim of the barrel when the truck is brought to hold the slider in adjusted position.

into position adjacent the barrel and said means engaged by the barrel.

An object of the invention resides in utilizing a guide extending in an up and down direction and a slider guided for movement along the same and having a finger for engagement with the upper rim of the barrel and in "further providing latch means engageable with said slider and holding it in position above said barrel.

Another object of the invention resides in providing release means engageable with the barrel to free said slider and permit movement of the same to bring said linger into engagement with the upper rim of the barrel.

Another object of the invention resides in using a rod extending along said guide and pivoted at its upper end for swinging movement toward and from the barrel, said rod being engageable with both the slider and the barrel and forming part of both the latch means and the release means.

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing said rests with inner edges spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the barrel and sloped relative to the frame of the truck to cause upward movement of the barrel and corresponding movement of the slider as the lower rim of the barrel engages the inner edges of the rests and the barrel moves into position upon the truck so as to leave the slider and finger above the barrel when the barrel is unloaded from the truck to eliminate the necessity of manually raising the slider when another barrel is to be loaded.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a hand truck illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with portions cut away and illustrating the ap plication of the truck to a barrel to be loaded.

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4' is a detailed elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 and drawn to a greater scale and taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevational view of the slider shown in Fig. 2 and drawn to a greater scale and taken on line 5-5of Fig. 1.

The construction shown in the drawings consists of a hand truck including a frame having a longitudinal frame members and cross frame members connected thereto together with an axle at the lower end of the frame carried on two supporting wheels. The lower end of the longitudinal frame members carry rests which are angularly disposed with reference to said frame members and which have their inner edges spaced closer than the diameter of the smallest barrel to be carried by the truck. Attached to the cross frame members is a guide bar and slidable along the same is a slider having a finger for engagement with the upper rim of a barrel. This slider is held in position by means of a latch bar pivoted to ears extending outwardly from the upper end of the guide rod. Resilient means engaging the lower end of said latch bar urges the same outwardly and against the slider This latch bar is also engageable with the wall of the barrel and serves as a release for releasing the slider to permit the same to drop downwardly by gravity and cause engagement of the finger carried thereby with the upper rim of the barrel. The slope of the rests cause the lower rim of the barrel to slide upwardly as the barrel takes position on the truck and to elevate the slider as the barrel becomes properly loaded. When the barrel is removed the slider remains at elevated position where it is ready to be applied to another barrel.

For the purpose of illustration, a hand truck has been shown in the drawings, which consists of a frame 10 constructed with two longitudinal frame members 11 and 12. These frame members are tubular in shape and are connected together by means of two cross frame members 13 and 14 which are constructed from band metal bent in the form of an arc of a circle as best shown in Fig. 3. The cross frame member 13 is disposed near the upper ends of the frame members 11 and 12 while the cross frame member 14 is disposed toward the lower end of the same. At the upper ends of the frame members 11 and 12 is provided a handle 15 which extends transversely and forwardly of the frame 10. The said handle, cross frame members and longitudinal frame members are all welded together. 'Rearwardly of the two longitudinal frame members 11 and 12 are two brackets 16 which are of tubular construction and which are welded to the frame members 11 and 12. A cross frame member 24 is welded to the two brackets '12 and serves to stiffen and reinforce the same. These brackets extend rearwardly of said frame members and support a tubular axle housing 17 which is likewise secured to the brackets 16 by welding. Extending through said housing is an axle 18 which has mounted on its ends two supporting wheels 19. These wheels are held in position in said axle by means of cotter keys 21. The lower ends of the frame members 11 and 12 have welded to them two plates 22 which are disposed at an angle with reference to said frame members and which incline forwardly. These plates form rests on which the barrel to be transported is mounted and are secured together at their ends by means of a cross bar 23, also welded to said plates or rests.

The invention proper comprises a rectangular guide bar 25 which extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the two frame members 11 and 12 and which is secured to the cross frame members 13 and 14 by means of cap screws 26. Issuing outwardly from the upper end of the said guide bar and welded thereto are two spaced ears 27. Extending between these ears is a latch bar 28 which structure 45 with a top 46 secured thereto.

' tion.

' the barrel and slammed against the same.

also serves as a release and the operation of which will be subsequently more fully described. A bolt 29 passes through said ears and latch bar and pivotally supports the same for swinging movement toward and from the guide bar 25. This latch bar is normally urged outwardly by means of a compressioncoil spring 31 shown in detail in Fig. 4. A pin 32 is attached to the lower end of the bar 28 and is received in a hole 33 in the guide bar 25. The spring 31 is seated against the bar 25 and the bar 28 and encircles said pin. It will be readily comprehended that the lower end of the bar 28 is urged outwardly and way from the bar 25 by means of the said spring.

Slidably mounted on the guide bar 25 is a slider 34.

'This slider consists of a box like structure, open at its ends, and formed with side walls 35 and end walls 36 and 37 welded thereto or secured together in any other suitable maner. This construction provides a space 38 within the interior of the slider which is of a width sufficient to receive both the guide bar 25 and the latch bar 28 and to leave room for a jaw 39 circular in cross section and which is welded or otherwise secured to the side walls 35. The latch bar 28 is urged into engagement with the jaw 39 and latches the slider 34 from movement with reference to the giude bar 25. The wall 37 has welded to it a bent rod 41, the ends of which form two fingers 42 and 43. Finger 42 is for engagement with the rim of a wood barrel while finger 43 is for engagement with the rim of a metal barrel.

For, the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention, a conventional metal barrel 44 has been shown in Fig. 2. This barrel consists of a cylindrical wall The top 46. is provided with an upturned flange 47 while the upper end of the wall structure 45 is turned over on this flange to provide a rim 48 extending about the flange 47.

In normal use of the hand truck, the slider 34 is disposed above the rim 48 of the barrel 44. When the truck is wheeled up to a barrel, the two rests 22 are advanced toward the barrel until they strike the wall structure 45. The truck is then raised off from its wheels 19, being fulcrumed on the rests 22, as shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the latch and release bar 28 engages the wall structure 45 of the barrel, spring 31 is I compressed and the said bar moved out of engagement l ing of the barrel can be accomplished without disturbing the position of the barrel thus permitting of loading a barrel sitting tight against a wall or in a corner. When the barrel is to be unloaded the procedure is reversed. The truck is moved to the desired position and tilted until the barrel assumes a vertical position as shown in Fig. 2. As the barrel assumes this position it slides off from the rests 22 leaving the slider 34 in elevated posi- The slider is then in position to engage the next barrel without manipulation of the same. If necessary, the slider can be manually adjusted by pressing the latch and release bar 28 toward the guide bar 25 and in opposition to the spring 31. This frees the slider and it can be moved to any desired position.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The construction is exceedingly simple and can be built at a nominal expense. In use the truck is merely wheeled over toward the barrel to be picked up, tilted toward This releases the slider and the finger is automatically brought into engagement with the upper rim of the barrel. The truck is then tilted and the barrel becomes automatically loaded in proper position on the truck. Repositioning of the slider hence becomes unnecessary for loading or unloading of barrels of the same height. The slider can be manually adjusted for diiferent sized barrels when desired.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a wheel supported frame, guide means attached to said frame and extending in an up and down direction, a slider movable along said guide means, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel in loading position with reference to the truck, said member being fixed relative to said slider, latch means acting on said slider and holding it in various positions relative to said guide means and above the barrel, a release member engageable with the barrel as the truck is moved toward the same, guide means engaging said release member and guiding it for movement toward and from the barrel, resilient means urging said release member to the position thereof closest to said barrel, said latch means when the release member is in such position being operative to restrain movement of the slider, said release member when resilient means releasing said latch means to free said slider for movement in a downward direction to bring said engaging member into engagement with the rim of said barrel.

2. In a hand truck for barrels, a wheel supported frame, a guide bar attached to said frame and extending in an up and down direction, a slider mounted on said guide bar and movable'along the same, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel and attached to and extending outwardly from said slider, a latch bar extending along said guide bar and engageable with the barrel, pivot means between the upper end of said latch bar and said frame and supporting it for swinging movement toward and from the barrel, resilient means acting on said latch bar and urging it toward the barrel and means on said slider engageable with said latch bar and restraining movement of said slider when in engagement with said latch bar and disengageable therewith when the latch bar is moved in opposition to said resilient means to free the slider from said latch bar for independent movement along said guide bar.

3. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a wheel supported frame, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel disposed in loading position adjacent the truck, guide means on the frame and guiding said engaging member for movement from a position clear of the barrel to a position in engagement with the rim thereof, latch means acting on said engaging member and holding said engaging member out of engagement with i the rim of the barrel and a release having a part engageable with the barrel and cooperating with said latch means to release said engaging member for movement into engagement with the rim of the barrel when said part is in engagement with the barrel.

4. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a wheel supported frame, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel disposed in loading position adjacent the truck, guide means on the frame and guiding said engaging member for movement from a position clear of the barrel to a position in engagement with the rim thereof, latch means for said engaging member including a latch bar extending along said guide means, pivot means having its axis fixed relative to said frame and guiding said latch bar for swinging movement toward and from a barrel positioned adjacent said truck for loading, resilient means acting on said latch bar and urging it toward said barrel, a part movable with said engaging member and disposed in position to be engaged by said latch bar and when engaged thereby restraining movement of said engaging member along said guide means, said latch bar releasing said part to release said engaging member from said latch bar for movement along said guide means when said latch bar is engaged by the barrel and moved in opposition to said resilient means.

5. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a wheel supported upright elongated frame, rests at the lower end of the frame inclined relative to said frame to form an obtuse angle with the forward portion of the same and spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the barrel, guide means on the frame extending in an up and down direc tion, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel and guided for movement along the guide means, said rests engaging the lower edge of the barrel and causing the barrel to climb the same as the barrel is tilted to position on the truck, the barrel while so moving sliding the engaging member from its initial position of engagement to an elevated position and releasable latch means acting between said guide means and engaging member and holding said engaging member in elevated position.

6. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a frame consisting of spaced longitudinal frame members extending in an up and down direction, cross frame members connecting said longitudinal frame members together, supporting wheels mounted for rotation at the lower ends of said longitudinal frame members, a rest at the lower end of the frame, a guide bar attached to said cross frame members and extending in an up and down direction, a box like slider encompassing said guide bar and guided thereby for sliding movement, a latch bar extending through said slider and along said guide bar, pivot means acting between the upper end of said latch barand said guide bar and guiding said latch bar for movement toward and from said guide bar, a jaw carried by said slider and engageable with said latch bar to restrain movement of the slider when the latch bar is urged away from said guide bar and toward said jaw, resilient means acting between said latch bar at its lower end and said guide bar, and urging said latch bar into engagement with said jaw, a finger issuing outwardly from said slider and engageable with the rim of a barrel positioned adjacent the truck for loading, said latch bar having a part engageable with a barrel so positioned and serving as a release to free said slider for movement to bring said finger into engagement with the rim of the barrel.

7. In a hand operated truck for barrels, an elongated thereby for sliding movement in an up and down direction, a latch bar extending along said guide bar and in juxtaposition in reference to said slider, pivot means at the upper end of said latch bar and having its axis fixed relative to said guide bar and substantially parallel to the axis of the wheels, a jaw carried by said slider and engageable with saidlatch bar to restrain movement of the slider when the latch bar is urged toward said jaw, resilient means acting between said latch bar and a part fixed relative to said frame and urging said latch bar into engagement with said jaw, a finger issuing outwardly from said slider and engageable with the rim of a barrel positioned adjacent the truck, said latch bar having a part engageable with the barrel so positioned and serving as a release to free said slider for movement to bring said finger into engagement with the rim of the barrel.

8. In a hand operated truck for barrels, a wheel supported upright elongated frame, guide means attached to said frame and extending in an up and down direction, a slider movable along said guide means, an engaging member for engagement with the rim of a barrel in loading position with reference to the truck, said member being movable with said slider, latch means acting on said slider and holding it in various positions relative to said guide means and including a position above the barrel, a release member engageable with the barrel as the truck is moved toward the barrel, guide means engaging said release member and guiding it for movement toward and from the barrel, resilient means urging said release member to the position thereof closest to said barrel, said latch means when the release membr is in such position being operative to restrain movement of the slider, said release member when engaged by the barrel and moved in opposition to said resilient means releasing said latch means to free said slider for downward movement in a direction to bring said engaging member into engagement with the rim of the barrel, rests at the lower end of the frame inclined relative to said frame to form an obtuse angle with the forward portion of the same and spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the barrel, said rests engaging the lower edge of the barrel and causing the barrel to climb the same as the barrel is tilted to position on the truck, the barrel while so moving sliding the engaging member from its initial position of engagement to an elevated position above the rim of the barrel to free the engaging member from the rim of the barrel when the barrel is returned to its vertical position on the surface on which it is deposited.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,490,361 Brown et al. Apr. 15, 1924 2,014,057 Rogers Sept. 10, 1935 2,318,567 Duerig May 4, 1943 2,447,300 Williams Aug. 17, 1948 2,710,106 Hanson June 7, 1955 

